Episode 63

Marquess Rohan froze with his fork in hand, water still dripping from his hair. He looked at Yvonne as if time had stopped.

“Why do you think that?”

“Because my memories are strange.”

At her words, Marquess Rohan gestured for everyone around them to leave. Once they were alone, he continued.

“What memories seem strange?”

“I can’t remember what my father looks like. Or Yurian.”

Yvonne found it odd that their memories were so blurry. Hildebrandt was also hazy, but Yurian was the most unclear. When she tried to recall him, it felt like a black paint had been smeared over her memories. His hair color, eye color, and the things he said to her—none of it came to mind. She only remembered that Hildebrandt had kidnapped him and threatened her life, saving her at the last moment. She had forgotten who Yurian truly was.

Part of her mind seemed to warn her not to forget him, yet her thoughts were already muddled as if he had been erased. This confusion made her feel uneasy whenever she looked at Marquess Rohan, wondering if he was the cause of her hazy memories.

Yet she didn’t want to misunderstand. She genuinely wanted to get along with Marquess Rohan, even if she didn’t love him. She felt a sense of responsibility toward him. After all, he might have stayed in the Bricesys Empire because of her. Coming here might have been better, but it was still because of her.

How could she not feel responsible for a man who gave up everything for her?

“My lady.”

“Yes.”

Marquess Rohan lowered his gaze, placing his utensils on the plate. He opened and closed his mouth several times before finally speaking, as if the words were difficult to say.

“The truth is, we stopped by the Holy Kingdom on our way here.”

“What?”

“…At that time…”

Yvonne frowned, realizing she had no memory of this.

“At that time, I tried to undo the spell placed on you.”

“…”

“But I failed, causing your mind to break down. So… I erased your memories of that place and reapplied my powers without touching the hypnosis that His Majesty had put on you.”

“Oh…”

She couldn’t recall Hildebrandt’s appearance, but bits of his personality started to resurface.

The emperor’s power was hypnosis.
Marquess Rohan’s power was memory manipulation.

Both were top-tier mental abilities, but hypnosis was a level above memory manipulation. There was no way he could easily undo the emperor’s hypnosis.

“So that’s what happened.”

“When you didn’t wake up for several days, I must have tampered with a few things unconsciously.”

“…”

“I think the chain reaction from that incident caused some issues with your memories.”

Marquess Rohan spoke earnestly, and Yvonne was confused. Her intuition, however, told her his words were not entirely truthful. He hadn’t lied completely—he had simply mixed truth with necessary lies.

Initially, Marquess Rohan knew this method was wrong. But recalling Yvonne’s behavior when she met Yurian, he realized she was visibly shaken. She pushed Yurian away yet worried about him, looking relieved when Yurian watched her.

Yvonne might not have noticed, but Marquess Rohan did. He always watched Yvonne closely, understanding her emotions and where her gaze lingered.

Had she shown him the same affectionate gaze she reserved for Yurian, perhaps he would have confided in her completely.

But while she acted as if she loved him, she didn’t. And he knew that painfully well.

“I’m sorry for doubting you, dear.”

“It’s alright. Just believe that everything I do is for you.”

“I will.”

Marquess Rohan gripped Yvonne’s hand tightly, looking at her with eyes that were on the verge of tears. Seeing his face like this always made her feel a pang of guilt.

“I know you gave up everything for me. I forgot to appreciate that for a moment.”

“No, I came because I love you, not to repay a debt.”

“Thank you, Kes.”

He recognized the cautious relief in her eyes, knowing she still harbored doubts. But he loved her despite it all, believing he couldn’t live without her.

So he convinced himself that everything he did was for her sake. She had been unhappy with Hildebrandt and would be miserable if she followed Yurian.

He wanted to believe that her pretending to be happy by his side was the best path for her.

* * *

“Lady Rohan, over here!”

Marchioness Jhanna called out warmly to Yvonne. They had gathered at the Jhanna estate for tea time before the planned boating excursion. The estate was situated next to a large river, making it the perfect spot for such an outing. They were waiting for their husbands, many of whom worked at the palace, to return after the morning court meeting.

“I’m a bit late.”

“Oh, not at all. If the Duchess is late, we are more than happy to wait. Right, everyone?”

“Of course.”

“It’s so nice to see you again, Duchess.”

“Yes, it’s good to see you too.”

Yvonne felt more comfortable when she was a princess, rarely appearing in public. Her three months as a duchess had been extremely busy. She had to attend numerous welcoming parties, tea parties, and social gatherings. Additionally, the King of Apentina had made significant efforts to maintain a good relationship with Marquess Rohan, so she couldn’t miss any royal events.

“The weather is lovely today.”

“Perfect for boating.”

The ladies readily agreed with Yvonne’s comment. The boating trip was clearly planned to win the favor of the Duchess of Rohan, a fact they all knew well.

Marquess Rohan’s devotion to his wife was well-known among the ladies of Apentina.

“Duchess, is it true that the Duke purchased the Tears of the Siren?”

As soon as Yvonne sat down, the ladies leaned in, their curiosity piqued.

“It wouldn’t be any fun if I told you now.”

“Oh my!”

“How romantic!”

Even though Yvonne didn’t confirm anything, they already knew that Marquess Rohan had bought the Tears of the Siren and given it to his wife. Rumors were spreading that he was buying up all the precious jewels in Apentina for her.

To avoid getting tired of this topic, Yvonne quickly changed the subject.

“How have you been, Lady Sharia?”

“Thank you for asking, Duchess. The scented candles you sent have greatly helped with my melancholy.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“You’re amazing, Duchess. Lady Sharia has been smiling more often thanks to you.”

Yvonne knew that Lady Sharia’s smile was a façade. Melancholy from losing a child was not something that could be easily cured.

“Oh, have you heard?”

Marchioness Jhanna, eager to gain Yvonne’s favor, brought up a topic she thought would interest her.

“A delegation from the Bricesys Empire arrived recently!”

“A delegation?”

“Yes! There might be another ability user among them!”

Yvonne felt uneasy about the delegation from the Bricesys Empire. Few people there knew her face, but the feeling of unease was unavoidable.

“That’s quite interesting.”

“Isn’t it?”

Yvonne played with her platinum blonde hair, listening to their chatter.

“In fact, the aide of the delegate is already here, and we’ve invited him to join us!”

“What is the name of the delegate?”

“They say it’s Duke Yurian Leonhardt.”

Yvonne felt a jolt of recognition at the name. Although she might have remembered it clearly just yesterday, now it eluded her. Her body reacted with a sharp pang in her chest, but she couldn’t place the name.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Isn’t it exciting?”

“Yes.”

Despite her words, Yvonne felt no excitement. Hearing the name made her heart drop and she felt a growing sense of dread.

“When is the aide supposed to arrive?”

“Any moment now!”

Yvonne had no idea who this attendant might be.